


The Pants Fiasco

by GeekyGirlfriends



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Artists, Feel-good, Friendship, Gen, Jake and Ziyal being artist friends, M/M, Pants, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Silly, with a side of background nog/jake because I love those two
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-22
Updated: 2017-07-22
Packaged: 2018-12-05 08:00:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11573811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeekyGirlfriends/pseuds/GeekyGirlfriends
Summary: Jake is very concerned by Ziyal's sudden interest in him. Though, it's hardly what he suspects. And, after some initial awkwardness, they become fast friends -- joking around and laughing at each other, or well, mostly just laughing at Jake and his pants.There's also a splash of cute background Jake/Nog with a lot of Nog nagging Jake for the whole pants fiasco.Spoiler: Jake is never going to live this down for the rest of his life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AceofWands](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceofWands/gifts).



Jake sat down at the bar, biding his time until Nog would come and meet him there. He listlessly edited one of his older stories on his PADD, trying to pay no attention to Morn talking his head off as per usual. He became so engrossed in thinking about how he could make this story better that he almost jumped out of his skin when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He quickly grabbed hold of the bar railing, not wanting to fall out of his seat while he was at it. He looked behind himself and saw Nog laughing uproariously.“I couldn’t believe I scared you so easily! You looked you’d just been bitten by a Vulcan Sehlat.”

 

Jake’s embarrassment passed. He chuckled a bit. “Yeah, I guess I must have looked pretty funny. But, hey, sit down with me. What took you so long?”

 

Nog hoped up onto the bar stool next to him. “I just had to help the Chief finish up some station repairs. But, I’m here now. What holo-suite program do you want to run?” Nog pointed his thumb back to

 

“Hmmm . . .” Jake thought for a few beats and let his gaze wonder as if some of the bar patrons might help him make up his mind. He noticed that a Cardassian girl was staring at them from afar, trying not to be noticed because, when he looked her way, she averted her eyes. He turned back toward Nog and whispered, “Hey, that girl is staring at you. What do you think she wants?”

 

“ _Well_ , clearly she must want a piece of-“

 

“She doesn’t want _you_ ,” Quark interjected. “She’s been staring at Jake since he walked in this place. Don’t ask me why she would be interested in a poor hu-mon.” He shot Nog a pointed look. “But, _clearly_ she only has eyes for Jake.”

 

Jake laughed dismissively. “That’s crazy. That can’t be right.” He glanced her way again and saw she was still staring at him. “Why would she be interested in me anyway?"

 

“Maybe she wants to get information on the Captain. She is Gul Dukat’s daughter and I’ve also seen her with Garak. Maybe he’s teaching her how to be a spy for the Cardassian Union!” Nog looked up at Jake, face agape with horror.

 

Quark shot his nephew a withering look of incredulity. “Why would Garak be working for Dukat’s benefit? They try to kill each other every time Dukat so much as steps foot on the station. Are you sure the Academy taught you anything other than how to get yourself killed in some hu-mon get up?” He gestured to Nog’s cadet uniform.

 

Nog huffed and grabbed Jake by the arm. “Come on, let’s get going.” Jake just absentmindedly followed Nog out of the bar. He still wondered what Ziyal actually wanted with him.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day Jake listlessly laid on the couch in his and Nog’s shared quarters. He looked over the story he had started to write last night after Nog had turned in. He reached for his cup of raktajino, hoping it would help him focus and wake up. Just as his fingers reached the handle of the mug he heard the door chime to his quarters sound and he nearly jolted out of his own skin, accidentally knocking over his mug and spilling the rich and aromatic coffee all over the end table and floor.

 

“Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!” He whispered to himself as he looked around for something to soak up the mess. He hastily grabbed one of his pairs of pants that were laying on the floor and quickly used it to try and soak up the spill. The door chime sounded again and he called out, “I’ll be there in a minute!” He haphazardly tossed his [soiled pants and coffee mug back into the replicator](http://loitering-on-the-promenade.tumblr.com/post/146237984054/brinnanza-how-did-your-pants-get-in-the). He pressed the button for the door saying, “Hey, dad,” before he had even seen the person on the other side.

 

Ziyal looked up at him, smiling but also rather confused at how Jake had just addressed her. “Oh! Oh, uh, sorry. It’s just that my dad is usually the only one who comes to visit me. Sorry.” He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

 

Ziyal gave him a small chuckle and understanding look. “It’s fine. I know how that is.” She paused and looked up at him as if she full well excepted some reply or for Jake to at least say _something._ Finally, Ziyal ended the immensely awkward silence by asking, “May I come in?”

 

“Oh, yeah, of course.” Jake stepped aside and Ziyal walked into his quarters. She looked around, taking in the slightly disheveled living room and kitchen.

 

“It must be nice having all this room to yourself. My quarters are a lot smaller than this.”

 

“Oh, well, I don’t really have them all to myself. I share this place with Nog. He’s just, you know, on duty right now. If he was here he’d probably be giving me an earful about keeping this place cleaner.”

 

“A Ferengi giving you an earful . . . I guess that makes sense.” She looked up at him a certain joking glint in her eyes and a half smile framing her face.

 

He chuckled, some of the awkwardness easing away from this whole situation. “That’s a good one. I didn’t even intend that pun but you’re right.”

 

She snickered and bowed her head a bit. “Thank you.” She looked around the place a bit more before taking a seat in a chair. Her eyes caught on the replicator that currently still had a stained pair of pants over flowing out of it. “Um, Jake, I don’t mean to be impolite but why do you have . . . ?” She pointed to the replicator and Jake face-palmed at his forgetfulness.

 

Thinking fast, he lied, “Oh, I, uh, ripped them so I was just going to recycle them!” He quickly walked over to the replicator, stuffing his pants into the wall unit as best as he could before tapping on some of the controls so that the pants would _hopefully_ disappear. After a moment they faded out of existence and Jake let out a sigh of relief. He turned back around to Ziyal and clapped his hands together. “So, Ziyal, is there anything I can do for you since you’re here?”

 

She crossed her legs and sat back in the chair, getting relaxed in her spot. “Oh, if it’s alright with you I’d just like to talk with you for a while. That is, if you aren’t already busy with something else right now. I don’t mean to impose.”

 

He put his hands up and assured her, “No worries, I’m not busy at all right now. But, before I sit down, is there anything I can get for you to drink or eat?” He touched his chest, “My dad always told me to feed guests as if they were family.”

 

She leaned forward in her chair. “Well, if you insist, a cup of red leaf tea would be nice right now.”

 

“Alright, coming right up.” He turned back toward the replicator and commanded, “One cup of red leaf tea, sugar on the side.” The replicator buzzed loudly rematerializing and dematerializing and finally rematerializing Jake’s pants before making about a cup’s worth of red leaf tea and sugar splash down all over the pants and the inside of the replicator. He mumbled under his breath, “. . . Nog’s _not_ going to be happy about this.” He turned back toward his guest. “I’m sorry but I guess it’s broken now.”

 

She giggled at the total lack of serendipity to this whole situation. “It’s okay. Sit, and we’ll just talk for a bit regardless of any drinks.” She gestured to the couch next to her chair.

 

Jake took the seat she had indicated and twiddled his thumbs a bit. “So . . . what do you want to talk about?”

 

She eyed him, somewhat doubtful he wanted to talk to her at all. “Jake, do I make you uncomfortable?”

 

“What?! No, no . . . I mean, okay maybe a little but you just really took me off guard being interested in my so suddenly and I’m already in a relationship with Nog so I’m not really _looking_ -“

 

“Wait,” she quickly interrupted, “you think I’m interested in you _romantically_?”

 

“. . . Yeah.”

 

“Jake, I’d just like to be your friend and nothing more. I just think that we have a lot in common and would be great friends. Nerys passed some of your stories along to me and . . .” She looked down, fidgeting with her hands as she continued, “How you write absent mothers and powerful fathers and just tales of not quite knowing where you belong . . .” She looked up but not directly at him. “I was sure that we had gone through so many of the same things. Of course, I already knew who your father was but, I asked Nerys about the rest and she explained it all to me.”

 

Jake looked at her for a minute, totally dumbfounded that the person who sat before he was a fan of his work to the point of being able to pinpoint the overarching themes of his work and, therefore, his life. He slowly said, “I . . . didn’t know you felt that way about everything.” He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling like kind of an asshole for assuming her motives. “I’m sorry I made assumptions about you before getting to know you.”

 

She smiled lightly, finally meeting his eyes again. “It’s okay, Jake. I forgive you. And, I know I said I wanted to talk but, I was wondering if you’d like to see some of my work . . . from one artist to another?”

 

“You write too?”

 

“No, not really. I mean, Garak has been trying to teach me the importance of poetry, but really I just paint and draw.”

 

“Okay, well I’m not ane art critic but I’ll take a look if you want.” He gave her a smile that said he knew it was hard to put yourself out there and ask others to look at your work without feeling self-conscious.

 

“Okay, come on. Everything I’ve done is over in my quarters.”

 

. . .

 

He did not know exactly what he had expected but what he saw surpassed anything he could have ever imagined. There were all manner of paintings hanging on walls or resting on the furniture. There was every kind of style from abstract to landscape to portraiture. He walked up and examined a portrait she had done of Captain Sisko. “It’s my dad . . . but why did you put him in an ancient Earth navy uniform?”

 

She said, somewhat shyly, “One of your characters reminded me of him.” He knew the exact one she meant -- a naval officer on a never ending quest to avenge the death of his wife (who had been captured and killed by a band of pirates).

 

“Yeah, I guess Captain Stonewall was a lot like him. Did you actually get him to sit for this or?”

 

“Oh, no. I didn’t even ask. I just used some public photos and videos as references.”

 

“Well, it looks just like him so good job.” He smiled widely. “All of your work is amazing, honestly. You’re just so talented.”

 

She blushed slightly. “Thank you. I greatly appreciate such kind words. And, um, I was wondering if you might let me paint _you_. That is, if you’d be willing to sit for me so I could paint you.” He looked away, hoping she had not asked too much of Jake already.

 

“Sure, I’d love for you to paint me.” His nonchalant tone instantly put her at ease.

 

She beamed up at him. “Thank you, that’s very kind of you. Would you be able to come here about this time tomorrow so I can start the painting then?”

 

“Sure, I’ve got nothing else to do. Should I wear something nice or?”

 

“No, there’s no need to. Just bring yourself and a story to work on while I paint you.”

 

He chuckled. “Alright, I’m sure I can manage that.”

 

Just then, the computer beeped and Nog’s voice came through the com channel in Ziyal’s room. “Hey, Jake, where are you? And . . . why are your pants in the replicator again?”

 

Ziyal looked at him, mouthing the word “again?” before stifling her giggles with a hand.

 

Nog carried on, “I thought I already explained to you that you can’t clean them that way no matter what my dad said. The station’s recycling system just can’t take _that much_ dirt.”

 

Jake face-palmed at this whole situation he had created for himself. “Ugh, that’s not why I did it. It’s just kind of a long story, Nog. I’ll tell you all about it when I get home, okay?”

 

“Okay, I just hope you’re prepared to make us dinner from scratch,” he said with obvious annoyance. Meanwhile, Ziyal was nearly doubled over laughing at all this.

 

“I am. I’ll even make you grub jambalaya. Just, don’t worry about my pants for now.”

 

“Okay. See you soon then.”

 

“Yeah, see ya. I love you.”

 

“I love you too. Nog out.”

 

Ziyal tried to stand up and get her uncontrollable giggling under control for at least a little while. Jake just looked at her with pure defeat. “You’re never going to let me live this down, are you?”

 

She giggled a bit and shook her head. “Nope, never.”

 

“I guess I deserve it for believing Rom in the first place. Anyway, I gotta get going now so I can get started on making that grub jambalaya for Nog. Believe it or not, grubs taste pretty good.”

 

She looked at him, her face barely containing the unadulterated mirth she felt from knowing Jake actually liked to eat grubs and probably other bugs. She just nodded, unable to speak without laughing out loud again.

 

“Right, I’ll just see you tomorrow then.” She bowed her head graciously but, the second the door to her quarters had closed behind him, he heard hysterical laughter coming from inside. “Yep, never living down any of that.”


	3. Chapter 3

He sat for her the next day, just sitting and working on his newest story as he would any other day. He loved the creative atmosphere of Ziyal’s quarters with all the paintings strewn about. He really did not have to do much other than sit there and occasionally re-position himself as Ziyal asked.

 

Eventually, she inquired, “So, what’s the story about?”

 

He off-handedly remarked, “Oh, it’s a Sci-Fi. It’s set way into the future. Everyone’s at peace for once.”

 

“I love it already.”

 

He smiled, “I knew that you would.”

 

“I’d like to read it when it’s done if that’s alright with you.”

 

“Sure, you’ll be the first person I send it to.”

 

She smiled widely and looked directly at him, “Thank you.”

 

“It’s no problem.” He shrugged a bit and kept working on the story.

 

. . .

 

A few days later Jake found himself begging Nog to come see the finished painting with him. Jake pulled on Nog’s arm, “Come on. We’ll only be out for a bit.”

 

He resolutely sat back in his chair, somehow making it impossible for Jake to pull him up and out. “Jake I’m tired and I’m really not into art.”

 

He pulled on Nog’s arm again. “Oh, come on. I’m sure you’ll like it. Besides, Ziyal worked really hard on it. She told me that it would mean a lot to her if you came and saw it.”

 

“Okay, fine.” He stood up just as Jake tugged on his arm, making both him and Jake fall onto the ground all over each other.

 

“Ouch.” Jake rubbed the back of his head. “You did that on purpose.”

 

“You deserved it for yanking on my arm so hard.”

 

He sighed. “Yeah, I guess so. But, get off me, we have to get going over to Ziyal’s place.”

 

“Okay, _fine_.” He crawled off of Jake and helped his boyfriend up off of the floor.

 

“Thanks.” He kissed Nog’s head and they headed over to see the masterpiece Ziyal had spent so much time on.

 

. . .

 

Jake pressed the door chime to Ziyal’s quarters. Ziyal opened the door and welcomed them in, “Hey, it’s good to see you two. I’m glad you could come, Nog. I know you’re going to like this.”

 

“If you say so.” Ziyal moved behind her couch and quickly picked up the painting and placed it on the couch for display. Nog instantly broke down laughing, doubled over and almost tearing up from how hard he was laughing. “You’re right! I love it! How much for it? I’d sell you my soul for that!”

 

Jake stood there, agog in slight horror at the painting. It depicted him working on a PADD, eyes glistening with equal parts creativity and concentration. But, his surroundings were hardly so mundane -- strewn around him was a myriad of pants, behind him a replicator was stuffed to bursting with pants, and he even had a pair of shorts draped over his head.

 

“I call it, ‘At Peace, for Once.’” Ziyal gave him a teasing smirk.

 

Jake chuckled at such a clever title. And, he had to admit it _was_ a hilarious painting, albeit a bit embarrassing. “I like how you drew my pants.”

 

She giggled. “Thank you.”

 

“I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship.”

 

“I think so too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Pssssssst, if anyone wants to do a recreation of Ziyal's painting I'd die of laughter, just saying))
> 
> Anyway, this was my first foray into writing Ziyal and I didn't have the time to go back and rewatch her episodes so I was a little foggy on her living arrangements and characterization. I hope any mistakes I made aren't unforgivable.


End file.
